Chusetts



c. H. HOWARD. REINFORCED PAPER FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.'23| I918- Patented Sept. 2,1919;

In ent or MM M orn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. HOWARD, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T PAPER PRODUCTSMACHINE COMPANY, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA-CHUSETTS.

REINFORCED PAPER FABRIC.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed March 23, 1918. Serial No. 224,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. HOWARD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Saugus, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment inReinforced Paper Fabrics, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a speci fication, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to composite fabrics,and more particularly to such fabrics wherein the component parts areformed of wood shavings.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible fabric fromthin shavings of wood laid lengthwise side by side in parallel relation,and having superposed thereon another series of wood shavings similarlyarranged, the two being adhesively secured together to form a compositefabric flexible in all directions under normal atmospheric and heatconditions.

Heretofore, it has been common to provide thin sheets of wood such asveneer, for instance, and to secure such sheets of wood together insuperposed relation to provide a composite but non-flexible character ofboard substitute. It has also been proposed heretofore to form a boardsubstitute by superposing a multitude of alternate layers of thin woodand fabric, the mass being held together by suitable securing means. The

present invention, however, is distinguished from all these in that itcontemplates the formation of very thin shavings of wood which, underordinary atmospheric and heat conditions, are individually flexible inall directions and to arrange such thin shavings of wood in parallelrelation side by side with a superposed similar layer of shavingsadhesively secured thereto, thus producing a composite fabric which,under ordinary atmospheric and heat conditions, is flexible in alldirections.

The fabric thus produced is serviceable as a substitute for wrap ers,such, for instance, as paper or woven fabrics, and owing to the initialthinness of the wood shavings, such composite fabric is renderedsubstantially as flexible in all directions as the paper or wovenfabrics.

While the main characteristic of the invention is embodied in a fabricformed wholly of thin wood shavings arranged and secured each asspecified, the invention also contemplates adhesively securing suchflexible shavings of wood to a backing such as paper, the adhesive beingpreferably formed as a waterproof material so that a composite fabric isprovided flexible in all directions and possessing great strength,durability, and waterproof character.

In the drawings 2- Figure 1 represents a composite fabric on a magnifiedscale, showing the two series of thin shavings arranged in superposedrelation at right angles to each other;

Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the fabric represented by Fig. 1, on theline 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a composite fabric embodying the present invention, whereinthe series of superposedflexible shavings are secured to a flexiblebacking such as paper or the like; and

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 3.

The shavings which are used to form the flexible composlte fabric of thepresent invention, are very thin, so thin, in fact, that under ordinaryatmospheric and heat conditions, the shavim is flexible in alldirections. Such flexibility inheres to the thin shavings without theapplication of moisture or heat, as is usually necessary where wood isto be bent to conform to any desired shape. A series of shavings such asspecified, are arranged in parallel relation substantially asrepresented at 1, Fig. 1. These shavings may vary in width, and as theadjacent edges of the shavings wlll be more or less ragged and uneven,of course, owing to the initial thinness in the shaving itself, it ispractically impossible to make a uniform, straight ed e. the reforearranged in parallel relation with their adjacent edges 2 slightlyseparated in order that there shall be no overlying portions of thearallel series of shavings.

Superpose upon the series of shavings 1 The series of thin shavings lare is another series of thin shavings 3 which, like the shavings 1hereinbefore described, are sufficiently thin to present flexibility inall directions under ordinary atmospheric and heat conditions. Theshavings 3, like the shavings l, and the edges thereof as at 4, areseparated somewhat in order to avoid overlying portions of the shavingsof a series which would tend to destroy the flexibility of the finalproduct.

The two series of thin shavings 1 and 3 as represented in Fig. 1, aresuperposed andsecured together by a suitable adhesive between theirsurfaces. This adhesive may be of various kinds, but is preferablywaterproof in character in order that the composite fabric in additionto its flexibility in all directions, may provide a waterproof coveringfor objects about which it may be placed.

The thin shavings 1 and 3 may be provided in various lengths. It ispossible, of course, to make them of considerable length or to make themshort as circumstances may dictate, but in any event, it is desirablethat there shall be no overlapping portions of the thin shavings formingeither series. For instance, in Fig. 1, the end of a shaving isrepresented at 5 and the opposed end of the continuing shaving isrepresented at 6, the

' two ends being separated somewhat in order to avoid overlappingportions. Similarly, with respect to the series of shavings 3, the end 7of one shaving-will be separated a slight distance from the end 8 of thelengthwise continuing shaving. Thus throughout the entire .flexiblefabric, the shavings which are so thin as to permit flexibility o thefabric in all directions, have no overlying portions either along theedges of the shavings of either series, or at the abutting ends of theshavings of either series. A

It may sometimes be desirable to adhesively secure the shavings ofeither one or both series to a backing. This is especially true wherethe final flexible composite fabric is to be employed for holdinggranular or powdered material. In such event, either series of shavingsmay be adhesively secured to a paper or other fabric backing. Thisfeature of the invention is represented in Figs. 3 and 4: wherein 9 and10 represent an overlying and an underlying paper back ing to which theseries of flexible shavings are secured.

The fabric composed of the construction described presents an excellentsubstitute for paper, and is especially serviceable and advantageouswhere additional strength is desired. It is a well-known fact thatalthough the shavings may be very thin, as hereinbefore described, theyresist any force tending to rupture them by pulling lengthwise in thedirection of the fiber. The fabric of the present invention, therefore,lends itself with peculiar advantage as a substitute for paper and otherfabrics where additional strength is desirable while malntalningflexibility of the fabric as a whole.

What is claimed is 1. A composite fabric formed of a series of woodshavings laid flatwise side by side in substantially parallel relationwith the adjacent edges of the parallel shavings separated, a secondseries of wood shavings laid flatwise side by side in substantiallyparallel relation and superposed upon the first series at an anglethereto, the shavings of both of the series being sufliciently thin tobe flexible in all directions without rupture, and an adhesive securingthe two series in established relation to form a flexible wood fabric.

2. A composite fabric formed of a series of wood shavings laid flatwiseside by side in substantially parallel relation with the adjacent edgesof the parallel shavings separated, a second series of wood shavingslaid flatwise side by side in substantially parallel relation andsuperposed upon the first series at an angle thereto, the shavings ofboth of the series being sufficiently thin to i be flexible inalldirections without rupture, an adhesive securing the two series inestablished relation to form a flexible wood fabric, and a backing ofpaper or similar fabric to which the shavings are adhesively secured bywaterproof material.

3. A composite fabric formed of a series of wood shavings laid flatwiseside by side in substantially parallel relation with the adjacent edgesof the shavings separated, a second series of wood shavings laidflatwise side by side in substantially parallel relation with theiredges separated and superposed upon the first series at an anglethereto, the shavings of both series to be Sllfi'lciently thin to beflexible in all directions under ordinary atmospheric and heatconditions without rupture, and an adhesive securing the two series inestablished relation to form a flexible wood fabric.

4. A composite fabric formed of a series of wood shavings laid flatwiseside by side in substantially parallel relation with the adjacent edgesof the shavings separated, a second series of Wood shavings laidflatwise side by side in substantially parallel relation with theiredges separated and superposed upon the first series with the lengthwisedimensions of the shavings of the first and second series at rightangles, the shavings of both series to be sufficiently thin to beflexible in all directions under ordinary atmospheric and heatconditions without rupture, an adhesive securing the two series in ricto which the shavings are adhesively secured. I

5. A composite fabric formed of a series of wood shavings laid flatwiseside by side in substantially parallel relation, with their adjacentedges separated, and sufficiently thin to be flexible in all directionswithout rupture under ordinary atmospheric and heat conditions, abacking of paper or other fabric, and an adhesive securing the series 10of shavings to the backing.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES H. HOWARD.

